Interior of Halle aux Blés, Paris [The Corn Exchange] 1765 - 1825

Editor: This is Jean Démosthène Dugourc's "Interior of Halle aux Blés, Paris [The Corn Exchange]," created sometime between 1765 and 1825. It’s a pencil drawing and print that gives a powerful sense of space with its high arches. I am curious, what is your take on this cityscape? Curator: It presents a captivating study in architectural form, doesn’t it? Consider the rigorous perspective; note how the artist utilizes line to delineate space, creating a succession of receding planes. The use of hatching and cross-hatching creates the tonal variations, lending a certain weightiness and depth to the architecture. The drawing masterfully deploys techniques reminiscent of neoclassicism. Editor: It is quite a precise and linear drawing. Curator: Precisely. The building is composed through the geometry of its structural elements. Consider the function of the grid within the dome. How does this impact the drawing as a whole, specifically in terms of perspective? Editor: Well, the grid emphasizes the perspective, right? The building blocks that comprise this work are not uniform but work together towards a cohesive image. Curator: An excellent point. The convergence of lines directs the viewer’s gaze and the proportional relationships, heightening the structure’s immensity. The figures below seem dwarfed by the architectural splendor, no? The work achieves its effect, and meaning, primarily through its manipulation of space, and light and shadow. The building is itself the statement. Editor: I see how Dugourc prioritized the formal elements of architecture to define the space and convey the monumental nature of the Corn Exchange. The structure really does become the subject here. Curator: Exactly, the architectural forms generate the feeling.